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Strathmore 500

Bristol Paper

Strathmore Bristol 500 paper


" Created in 1893, this 100% cotton bristol is an industry standard "
Taken from the official website at: www.strathmoreartist.com

SURFACES: Medium (Vellum)              -                  Ultra-Smooth (Plate)               -               Slightly Textured (Semi-Smooth)


​MEDIA APPLICATIONS:
Plate surface: 
technical pen, pen & ink, marker, airbrush, mechanical pencils
Vellum surface: graphite pencil, coloured pencil, charcoal, sketching stick, pen & ink, marker, soft pastel, mixed media, oil
pastel, light wash and collage
Slightly textured surface: pen and ink, pencil, specialty pens and markers

​

GSM: ​2, 3 & 4 ply

ARCHIVAL: YES

ACID FREE:  YES

LIGHTFAST: YES

 costs: RRP From:  £6.25 - £25 (Single sheet)
   RRP From:  £20.00 - £43.75
 (Gummed pads)


Strathmore 500 bristol plate surface logo
Plate surface
Sizes/formats Available:
Single sheets
23" x 29"   2-ply
23" x 29"   3-ply 
23" x 29"   4-ply
30" x 40"    2-ply

30" x 40"    3-ply
30" x 40"    4-ply


Pads
Available sizes:
11" x 14"   2-ply      (15 sheets)
​14" x 17"  2-ply      (15 sheets)

​Colour Tones:
White
Strathmore 500 bristol vellum surface logo
Vellum surface

Magnified images of each paper allowing you to see the difference between each.

Plate Surface - Smooth

Strathmore bristol 500 plate surface magnified
Plate surface has an ultra-smooth finish that is unsurpassed for detailed work with technical pen, airbrush, mechanical pencils, pen & ink and marker.
​

Graphite pencil portrait completed on Bristol Plate paper
Bristol ultra smooth is ideal for graphite as it allows you to blend smoothly and as it is available in three weights with the thickest being 520gsm, it is ideal for artists who like to layer extensively.

Vellum surface - Textured

Strathmore bristol 500 Vellum surface magnified
Vellum surface has a toothy finish that is excellent for graphite pencil, coloured pencil, charcoal, sketching stick, pen & ink, marker, soft pastel and oil pastel as well as pen, airbrush, light wash and mixed media. 
​

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Bristol Vellum is, in my opinion, the best choice out of the two for coloured pencil portraits. A paper with a tooth, helps grab pigment far better than a smooth paper. I also found that colours look more vibrant on this paper than the smooth option.
photo of the ply explanation in paper weight


​Weights of paper

​A 2-ply Bristol paper refers to two sheets of drawing paper that have been pasted together. A 3-ply refers to 3 sheets pasted together, and a 4-ply refers to 4 sheets pasted together. The more plies, the thicker the board will be. ​Our 500 Series Bristol paper is made from our 100% cotton 500 Series Drawing paper which has a weight of 106lb. (125gsm). Once the drawing paper is pasted together to form bristol sheets, we can determine approximate weights by doubling, tripling or quadrupling the weight of the drawing sheet depending on how many plies are pasted. These weights are approximate because there is glue used in the pasting process that will add a small amount of weight to the overall board.
  • 500 Series Bristol 2-ply ≈ 215 lb. (260 g/m2)
  • 500 Series Bristol 3-ply ≈ 325 lb. (390 g/m2)
  • 500 Series Bristol 4-ply ≈ 430 lb. (520 g/m2)

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Lee Hammond artist image and her lifelike portraits demonstration book
​"For graphite drawing I use smooth bristol. This comes in many brands, surfaces, and sizes. It can be found in pads and single sheets. I think I’ve tried them all ... for my high quality, professional work I use what I think is the Cadillac of bristol. It’s the 500 series, 4-ply (520gsm), 100% cotton, smooth bristol by Strathmore. It’s sold in large, single sheets. It’s a little pricey due to the cotton and the thickness, but it’s worth the cost. It produces a very smooth blend, and it won’t deteriorate or yellow with time"
Lee Hammond

Strathmore papers - How do they compare to the 500 series

The Strathmore Bristol 500 paper is just one type of paper in a series. The video below explains each series and what each paper is suitable for. As always, this is a simple guide. Would you want a 3 year old drawing on expensive paper such as the Bristol 500? You would if you wanted to frame and display it for many years to come. 

Where can you buy the paper?

Buy at Artists papers (UK)
Input your postcode to search for a local store



UK stock update: May 2021
For anyone looking to purchase this paper from the 'artists papers' website in the UK (direct link above), please note the following.
We contacted the company having noted that their website has had no stock available to purchase, instead stating they are 'expecting stock in 4 - 6 weeks'. This notice has been on the website for months, so we contacted them about it.
We were told by a representative that discussions were taking place about the "future plans of the website" and that "stock levels are being left at the moment". Whatever they decide in the future, if you see a product on their website that you wish to order, but are unable to purchase, we suggest that you contact the company direct as we did. They may actually have stock available and will update the product on the website to allow you to order. 
We hope that artists papers continue to sell the Bristol 500 as we are unaware of any other company selling it in the UK (We know of one, but we prefer to promote smaller/medium businesses). If you have a business in the UK that sells this paper, please get in touch, we would be happy to attach a link to your website on this page.
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